but all you need is faith and hope will bring a brighter day..."
these mean a lot to me. they are the start of a huge collection of ideas and a soon to be large collection of paintings. they've come to mean so much that I'm afraid to write about them/talk about them bc i'll probably sound like a fool, and that would make me sad.
but i figure i should try anyway because it does mean so much.
On my mission, the circle became an important symbol for me. it's a powerful, spiritual symbol to me. there are some obvious connotations.
First, eternity. circles are a line that never ends. they communicate the idea of continuation, and as I think of them, they communicate a continual progression. Which leads to the next point...
perfection. This is huge in my ideas. Not because these paintings are perfect, but because even as I strive to be exact, and as I dedicate the long hours to make them, there are little flaws everywhere. this is a criticism of the modern idea of perfection as being some cookie cutter shape for everyone. the criticism can be intended towards social pressures (i.e. how i should look, dress, behave), but i actually think of it in terms of the pressure i personally put on myself to be "perfect" in any way, i.e. in a worldy context, or within my own religion.
now don't get me wrong, i believe 100% in the gospel of jesus christ, as taught by prophets of his restored church (lds.org), i just think that i often misinterpret what it is that God actually wants me to be doing.
I strive to be like Christ because He is the way. But I've come to a conclusion that as I try make those decisions to follow his perfect example, that he is in fact putting me into better touch with who I actually am as the individual the God created, even when I falter all the time.
so to me, there is no cookie cutter. We are all different. and I don't think that when we reach the end of the line that being perfect will mean being all exactly the same. which lead to my third point...
completion. "perfect" in the original texts of the new testament, didn't mean perfect in the way we often think of perfect. it meant something more along the lines of "complete." is that not the most beautiful idea you've ever heard? it makes so much more sense to me that way. Christ commanded his disciples to be complete... so we just keep doing our best in this life, eventually we will become that. Even though the road is long and difficult, and will likely leave us in many instances full of painful holes and aching emptiness, if we keep trying we will become complete, because God has promised to fill us with his joy, (John 15:10-12 for the avid reader). I try to make this paintings feel full. There have been a lot of experiences to fill them.
individualism. as previously addressed, I think God wants us to be individuals, people who have learned to think for themselves, and make the best out of what blessings, talents, and gifts God has given us. and I believe that God allows for trying times in our lives in order to continue guiding us to our fullest potential.
So each circle painting I've made is unique. They have different details, patterns, intricacies, etc. Each one is it's own self, containing it's own story of what made it what it is today.
so that's my best attempt at explaining this concept.
hope ya'll enjoyed it. :)
